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Get a piece of Micarta (linen is better for stropping, canvas seems to work better deburring) handle material, sand it to 80-100 grit on one side and strop on that. You can add a compound to it after sanding as well if you want. Sounds crazy, but it does work and refine the edge! Denim has some natural abrasive qualities to it and I used to strop a pocket knife on jeans.

Rarely DMT to begin with, but if theres some serious thinning [like Ive been lazy for few weeks with thinning] to be done, I just found that as a rule of thumb thinning takes more time then you have planned for it. So when thinning, Im beginning with the diamond plate.

If its my regular knife then I work blades sides a little with my next stone in progression - JNS 1K.
Then I am sharpening edge with same stone. Always finish with alternated strokes one per side x10 and reducing pressure.
But the pressure part is tricky you must know your knife.

Then I take it to my strop which is cheap piece of leather I trimmed, glued to a piece of wood which is also my deburring block and I strop only 1 stroke per side.
Leather costed me nothing and I believe for kitchen knives you dont need anything over that!

Deburring.

Go to my next stone - this is white binsui. I dont know the grit, anyway I use around 6K nagura on it, and begin by polishing sides. That produces more mud which in turn makes the sharpening better.

So i finish off the edge, strop, deburr, go back to the stone for some more alternating strokes, and strop again. Dont do more than one stroke per side with strop but im paying ultra close attention to details.

Usually this is where I stop, after 15 minutes or so.

Would you do a video next time you do thinning/ sharpening? I'd like tO see your technique for removing scratches?

I find that a finishing stone works the best for any type of maintenance.

In fact, my leather and felt strops have sat under the sink for about a year unused, as I feel they don't improve my freshly sharpened edges, and they don't bring back an edge that needs touching up enough for me (I want that bite).

Used to swear by strops for making my edges better, but now they seem more of an unnecessary step. All my opinion.

I go to the bester 700/ green brick combo lately. Gives a lasting toothy edge. Anything higher doesn't hold up in the kitchen for long. If I strop, its on paper; again any stropped edge will last a minute in the kitchen. I do on occasion back strop on a shapton.

I still like the black Mac rod for softer steels. (Sub 60)

The difference between try and triumph is a little "umph"! NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!chefchristophermiller@yahoo.com

I have to disagree only with my personal accounts. I usually sharpen 400, 1k, red aoto, Takashima. After each stone I strop on each one, then use wood/ felt to make sure the burr is gone. I then strop on felt with 1 micron diamond slurry. My last edge on Markos Gyuto in 52100 lasted over 2.5 weeks without any touch ups honestly. Obviously it's not as sharp as right off the stones but still way more sharp than my shun gets. Maybe is the steel.. Not sure but I get at least 2 weeks in a pro kitchen and I use that knife from fish, to beef, to veggies and fruit.

The reason I'd prefer to switch to a strop over a steel, is the actual movement required. It's far more difficult to maintain a steady angle on a rod as opposed to a fixed plane(strop) IMO.

Hi that is interesting, had that problem before.. solved it by putting it flat on a flat surface. It made me realize that spine leading strokes just open teh burrs whils a cutting stroke hopefully breaks off the wire edge(s) which will leave a rounded edge ( adn has to be further honed to make it angular.) Spine leading as on a strop will open and the burr/curls adn this wld be a weak edge as it will be weak adn only waiting to break off leaving a rounded edge after it breaks..

thats what u think any way...
a minute one)

Any tried this product? http://jewelstik.com/kitchen/1-2-3 ( 270, 600 adn 1800 grit) combo horny rod
I like the idea of 3 in one and ability to choose the correct grit for honing depending on what you want to achieve..

I just use 0.5 cro on leather and that is what I have used since I started using good knives. I rarely use my Mac ceramic rod now because it totally kills your edge retention even though it gives you a toothy edge, it never lasts for long and you get into a vicious circle of using it. If you want something toothy, use cardboard, that's what I use for my boning knife